Robert K. Merton (1910-2003) was a prominent American sociologist, known for his contributions to the field of sociology of science, social theory, and research methods. He was born Meyer Robert Schkolnick in Philadelphia to immigrant parents from Eastern Europe.
Merton attended Temple University in Philadelphia, where he received his bachelor’s degree in sociology in 1931. He then went on to earn a Ph.D. in sociology from Harvard University in 1936, where he studied under the renowned sociologist Talcott Parsons.
Merton’s early work focused on the relationship between social structure and deviant behavior. He developed the concept of “strain theory,” which suggests that social structure creates strain for individuals that can lead to deviant behavior. This work was influential in the study of crime and delinquency.
In 1938, Merton published Social Structure and Anomie a seminal paper in sociology on this subject. He argues that American society places a strong emphasis on achieving the “American Dream” of material success, but not everyone has equal access to the means of achieving this dream.
Merton argues that social structures, such as the economy, politics, and culture, provide opportunities for individuals to achieve success through legitimate means, such as education and hard work. However, when the social structure fails to provide equal opportunities for all members of society to achieve success some individuals may turn to deviant behavior as an alternative means of achievement.
Merton’s theory of (strain) anomie suggests that deviant behavior arises when individuals are unable to achieve success through legitimate means because of a breakdown in the social structure. He argues that the emphasis on achieving cultural goals, combined with a lack of legitimate means to achieve them, creates a sense of normlessness or anomie in society, which in turn leads to deviant behavior.
Merton identifies five possible responses to a discrepancy between cultural goals (such as wealth and status) and the means to achieve them (such as education and employment). These responses include conformity, innovation, ritualism, retreatism, and rebellion. Conformity involves accepting both the cultural goals and the means to achieve them, while innovation involves accepting the goals but finding alternative means to achieve them, such as through illegal or deviant behavior.
Merton’s theory has been influential in the study of crime and deviance, and it highlights the importance of social structure and inequality in understanding deviant behavior.
Throughout his career, Merton received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to the field of sociology, including the National Medal of Science in 1994. He continued to work and write until his death in 2003, leaving behind a lasting legacy as one of the most influential sociologists of the 20th century.
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